Northampton’s Building Plot Problem

Well the fallout from the recent Budget is still continuing. I was chatting to a couple of movers and shakers from the Northampton area the other day, when one said, “There isn’t enough land to build all these 300,000 houses Philip Hammond wants to build each year”.

…and if you read the Daily Mail, you would be forgiven for thinking the Country was at bursting point or is it?

It was 60 years ago the first satellite was launched (Sputnik). All the Superpowers have used them to take high definition pictures of each other for decades, but now satellites and their high-powered cameras are being used for more peaceful purposes. The European Environment Agency (EEA) have been taking high definition pictures of the UK from outer-space to give us a focused picture of what every corner of the Country really looks like and the findings will come as a surprise.

As my blog readers know, I always like to ask the important questions relating to the Northampton property market. If you are a Northampton landlord or Northampton homeowner, this knowledge will enable you to make a more considered opinion on your direction and future in the Northampton property market. Like every aspect of all economic life, it’s all about supply and demand, because over the last twenty or so years, there has been an imbalance in the British (and Northampton) housing market, with demand outstripping supply, meaning the average value of a property in Northampton has risen by 379.81%, taking an average value from £42,600 in 1995 to £204,400 today.

Using the information from the EEA and data crunched by Sheffield University with their Corine-Land Cover project, I posed them a few questions about the local area, interesting questions I would like to share with you…

What proportion of the whole of Northampton is built on?

52.15%

That surprised you, didn’t it! In the study, land classified as ‘urban fabric’ defined has land which has between 50% and 100% of the land surface is built on, (meaning up to a half might be gardens or small parks, but the majority is built on).

How much land is intensively built on locally?

Of that amount mentioned above, how much of it is high-density urban fabric? (i.e. where 80% to 100% is built on – still leaving 20% for gardens) Less than 0.1% – again I bet that surprised you!

So how is the land used locally?

Industry 15.53%

Sports Facilities 7.2%

Pastures 13.63%

…the rest being made up of various other minor types such as arable farming, forests and waterways, etc.

Northampton and the surrounding areas are greener than you think! In fact, I read that property covers less of the UK than the land revealed when the tide goes out. The assumption that vast bands of our local area have been concreted over doesn’t stand up to inspection. However, the effect of housing undoubtedly spreads beyond its actual footprint, in terms of noise, pollution and roads.

Now I am not suggesting for one second we concrete over every inch of the locality, but the bottom line is we, as a country, are growing at a quicker rate than the households we are building. I appreciate the emotional effect of housing is greater than other land use types because most of us spend the vast majority of our time surrounded by it. As Brits, we live our lives driving along roads, walking on footpaths and working and living in buildings meaning we tend, as a result, to considerably overemphasise how much of it there is.

The bottom line is Northampton people and the local authorities are going to have to put their weight into building more homes for people to live in. There is going to have to be some give and take on both sides, otherwise house prices will continue to rise exponentially in the future and Northampton youngster’s won’t be able to buy their own Northampton home, meaning Northampton rents and demand for private rented accommodation in Northampton can (and will) also grow exponentially.

This blog follows the property market in Northampton. You'll find tips, guidance, and analysis that relates specifically to the property market in Northampton. You will also find properties from all the estate agents in the town on here that may make decent investments. I run Northwood here in Northampton and if you're thinking of buying a property to let in Northamptonshire, I'm happy to offer a second opinion.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Katherine Bond

Hi and thank you for visiting my blog. I have been with Northwood in the Northampton property market since 2002 and have always shared my thoughts on the local property market in Northampton with our landlords and home owners, but now using modern technology, I want to share with everyone in the town.

In this blog, I will talk about what is happening in the Northampton’s property market itself, even looking at specific streets or housing estates. At other times, I will post what I consider decent buy to let deals (almost ‘Homes under the Hammer’ for Northampton). The deals will be on the market with other agents in Northampton as well as ourselves. I like to look at the whole of market and give you, what I consider the best investment opportunities.

At other times, I will post properties that I consider need serious consideration for homeowners. They might be because they are good value, nicely presented or some other reason that I think you might find of interest. If you see a potential deal, and want a second opinion, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will always give you our honest opinion on the property and if its a buy to let property, it’s investment potential. (both good and bad).